


Harm and Mac – If you get there before I do…

by Bbblaney77



Category: JAG (TV 1995)
Genre: Based on the Collin Raye song "Love Me", F/M, Gen, Not Beta Read, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:54:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25013494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bbblaney77/pseuds/Bbblaney77
Summary: Harm is in hospice with his family around him his beloved wife Sarah of 50 years trying to stay strong for him.Her granddaughter keeping her company as she stepped away to let her guard down. Asked about the note.-----------------Season 4 "Goodbyes" ended slightly differently... Harm couldn't "say" the words any more then Sarah could... but he could put them on paper and leave it for her. As he left to go back to finish his dream of flying.This is an AU and Jordan was not in the picture.This is based on the Collin Raye song "Love Me"
Relationships: Elizabeth Sarah Rabb & Sarah MacKenzie Rabb, Matthew Frank Rabb & Sarah MacKenzie Rabb, Sarah MacKenzie/Harmon Rabb Jr.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 9





	Harm and Mac – If you get there before I do…

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very short one-shot that came to mind tonight. I had to put it down.
> 
> I've been re-reading JAG fanfiction lately since JAG was what got me started reading fanfiction in the first place.
> 
> But I've never posted any stories about them.

An elderly woman stood in front of the hospice chapel. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her. With a haggard breath that she had been holding back for a few days now. She let the tears fall.

A young woman walked up and wrapped her arms around her. “Grandma…” she didn’t know what to say. They know it’s coming but she feels so helpless…

“Sarah Elizabeth.” Mac said softly, she can see her husband’s, need to fix it look, in her granddaughter’s eyes. “This is a natural part of life.”

Elizabeth noticed a well-worn folded letter in her grandma’s hands. “What’s that?”

“That’s the note.” Mac said a soft smile on her face as she recalls the memory of it.

“ _The_ note?” Elizabeth had heard of her family talk about the note.

“Yes.”

“Can you tell me about it?” Elizabeth wanted to know and if it helps to take her grandma’s mind off why they are there. Even better.

Mac and Elizabeth walked over to a padded bench to sit. Mac smiled as she looked at the folded paper. “Your grandpa Harm told me once about how his grandparents married…”

\--------------------- (Flashback) ---------------------

Mac walked into her apartment. Her steps slow, she feels 100 years old.

Today was the first day without Harm there. He had returned to flying, leaving her behind.

She’s been cursing her perfect timing. It was 27 hours 34 minutes and 17 seconds since she watched him walk out of JAG.

She couldn’t concentrate all day.

It seems that every few minutes she would think of something to tell Harm but then she would realize he’s not there anymore.

She walked back to her bedroom and slowly removed her uniform. She glanced at the home phone hoping for a message, but with a deep sigh saw the light wasn’t blinking.

She put on a t-shirt and sweats with no desire to go anywhere.

She’d already turned down Mic’s offer to get drinks as she left. She already knows he’s going to be persistent.

She took the dog treat for Jango as his ears perked up at the sound of the box shaking.

Mac with a sad smile gave him the treat and rubbed his head. “You will always want me, won’t you boy.”

She noticed an envelope with her name written in very familiar handwriting. She felt her breath catch as she reached out with shaking hands to pick it up.

She opened the unsealed envelope and pulled out a sheet of paper.

The words took her breath away. And as she re-read the letter the page got blurry as tears filled her eyes.

_~~\----------------------------~~ _

_~~Mac~~ Sarah._

_I, I know we never seem to be on the same page, when it comes to us…_

_You aren’t… the only one with so much to say… I hope that this will convey the right words that I can’t seem to speak…_

_I remember a story my gram used to tell me about how her and grandpa ran away to get married. See my grandparent’s families didn’t like each other, but my grandparents didn’t care._

_They decided to run away and get married. But when Gram got to their meeting place, she found a note. It said_

_If you get there before I do, don't give up on me._

_I'll meet you when my chores are through_

_I don't know how long I'll be._

_But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see_

_And between now and then, 'til I see you again_

_I'll be loving you_

_Love, me_

_Sarah, I have to do this, I have to finish it, for my own peace of mind. Before I can be ready._

_So, Sarah I know we are not at the place we need to be… but know this I will come back to you…_

_And if, if you get there before I do, please wait for me…_

_I’ll get there as fast as I can._

_Until then Ninja girl, know that I’ll be loving you._

_Love Harm._

_P.S. You weren’t the only one crying…_

\---------------------------------------

Mac got up and hurried to her phone. She dialed the number as familiar as her own.

Harm’s cell phone went to voice mail meaning he had it off or forgot to charge it.

She left a short message, “I’ll be waiting flyboy… loving you too.”

\------------------ (End Flashback) ------------------

Mac smiled through her tears her arm around her granddaughter as she looked at the letter. It’s faded in the last 55 years, but Mac can still see the words clear as day.

“We kept in touch as much as possible. Emails usually, phone calls when we could. The first time I was sent to his carrier I hadn’t been able to let him know I was sent before I had to leave. It was a surprise. I could tell he so badly wanted to pull me into a hug, but the middle of a carrier surrounded by other officers was not the place.” Mac smiled at how much it was pure torture for them both to be so close but yet so far away. “We did get a little time alone to talk. He spent the whole time holding me. I can still remember how much he was trembling at first.”

“Aunt Chloe said you two were so stubborn back then.” Elizabeth said with a smile.

“Really well I’ll just have to had words with her, she’s one to talk.” Mac said teasingly.

“Mom?” A voice called out.

Mac felt her body stiffen just slightly. Before she looked over to see her only son, walking towards them.

“Yes baby?” Mac still calls him baby; he will always be her baby.

The girls tease that he’s her favorite. But her and Harm always made sure they loved all their children evenly.

“The nurse says it’s getting to be time.” Matthew Frank Rabb said as he neared them.

Mac closed her eyes. “I know, I can feel it.” She said softly.

Matt held out his arm to help his mother up.

They slowly made their way to the hospice room that was full of people.

Mac looked around to see their adopted daughters Chloe and Mattie with their husbands. Matthew and his twin sister Diana their miracle babies along with their spouses. Sergei and his wife holding each other tightly. Bud and Harriet with their sons and families sit around the hospital bed.

The cards and flowers surround the room from family and friends that couldn’t be there.

Mac felt her heart ache to see Harm so small and frail in the bed. He’s always been larger than life. Now he’s so… she can’t even.

Matthew knowing what his mother wants helps her to the bed and helps her get in to lay next to her husband of over 50 years.

She put her arms gently around him. As he opened his eyes and give her a smile. “Hey… marine… you know you… don’t always… have to be the strong one…” Harm said softly knowing she had to get away to let her tears flow.

Mac smiled; she knew her husband would know why she left the room. She didn’t say anything just gently placed her head on his shoulder.

“Hey, ninja girl… love you…” Harm said smiling.

“I love you to flyboy.” Mac said as her tears came back.

They all sat around the room it was quiet save for some monitoring equipment. And the sniffles of the people in the room.

Mac knew it wouldn’t be long now. She leaned up to kiss him one last time and with a broken voice softly told him.

“If you get there before I do Harm… don’t give up on me. I’ll meet you… when my chores are through. I don’t know how long I’ll be. But I’m not going to let you don’t down. Until then flyboy I’ll be loving you. Love your ninja girl.”

Harm opened his eyes and gave her his old flyboy smile, and with Mac’s help caressed her cheek, “I’ll be… waiting, loving… you too, Sarah.”

Harm took his last breath a few moments later.

\------------------------ (Epilogue) ---------------------

Mac lived another few years, making sure her family was taken care of.

Then one day Elizabeth knew when she woke up that today was the day.

She called the family and gathered around Mac’s bed.

She said goodbye to everyone and as she drew her last breath she smiled and faintly whispered “ _Harm_.”

Elizabeth could swear she heard her grandfather faintly say, “ _welcome home Sarah.”_


End file.
